News Details

Teen Voting Rights

8/15/2016

New law expands teen voting rights

Teens will now be able to vote in the primary of a consolidated election if they will be 18-years-old by the date of the consolidated election.?

The new law, Public Act 99-0722, is an expansion of a 2013 law that allowed 17-year-olds who would be 18 by the date of the general election to vote in a primary election. The new law advanced by House Bill 6167 goes a bit further to allow 17-year-olds to vote in a caucus or a consolidated primary election. These are most usually held for local offices, such as school boards, city councils and village boards.

Additionally, the law makes the voting rights of qualified 17-year-olds more complete by allowing those who will be 18-years-old by the general election to sign and circulate petitions, pre-register to vote and act as deputy registrars.